FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Welcome to the PHAT BUDDHA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PAGE. We've divided the FAQ's into sections for your convenience. If you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to use our CONTACT FORM and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

PHAT BUDDHA TATTOO STUDIO - location and booking

Where are you located?

We are located inside the PACIFIC MALL, 4300 Steeles Ave East in Markham, Ontario, Canada. We have 2 locations....one on each retail floor. The first location is on the main floor, unit E70. The second one is on the second floor at the end of the south food court.

What's your phone number and hours?

You can reach us at 647-713-7827. We are open 7 days a week from 12pm to 8pm. However, with special arrangements with your artist, you may be able to have your tattoo session done before or after hours to accommodate your schedule.

Do you take WALK-INS?

Absolutely. However, walk-ins are done on a first-come-first-served basis, so it is possible that you may have to wait for your tattoo session if there are people getting tattooed before you, or if we are already heavily booked up. One way to guarantee that you'll be taken care of right away is if you book an appointment, secured with a deposit.

How old do you have to be to get a tattoo?

18 years of age or older

How do I book an appointment?

Booking an appointment is highly recommended. You would come in and consult with the artist of your choice. You then pay a deposit of $100 (or more depending on the size of tattoo) to secure your scheduled time and date for your appointment as agreed by you and your artist. This will guarantee your spot at the appointed time. The deposit comes off the agreed price of the tattoo upon completion.

What if I say something like "I'll show up on Monday at 1pm...I promise", but refuse to provide a deposit?

This is still ok...however the appointment will be provisional. In other words, we will still tattoo you if the artist (or an artist) is free. But if they are not, you will be treated as a walk-in and would have to wait for the next available spot.

pricing and payment

How can I get a quote on the price of a tattoo?

If you want a quote on a tattoo, you must come into the shop. We do not quote prices over the phone or email. If you have a preferred artist you would like to deal with, we highly recommend you book a consultation appointment with that artist so he/she can go over the tattoo process and pricing with you.

How much do you charge for a tattoo?

Our minimum charge for a tattoo is $80.

Tattoos that take less than 3 hours will be quoted specifically for that piece. Tattoos that take more than 3 hours are charged by the piece or flat rate. Depending on the artist, the final price of the tattoo is based on an hourly rate which can range from $120/hour to $200/hour. These details can be discussed during your consultation session with the artist.

Could I request that you come up with a design before I commit to paying a deposit?

No. The $100 deposit has a several purposes. First, it shows that you are committed to getting a tattoo. Second, it secures your appointment date as we are now obligated to show up at the shop at that time to accommodate you. Third, we are now committed to designing that special tattoo for you. To be clear, we will not design anything until we have some level of commitment on your part that you will get this tattoo, and the proof of that commitment is the deposit.

I paid the $100 deposit for the tattoo, but now I changed my mind about getting the tattoo. Could I get just the design from you?

No. The appointment time and the efforts to design the tattoo are a packaged service that are not itemized separately. As such, the design remains the property of the PHAT BUDDHA ARTIST that drew it up.

I changed my mind about the tattoo altogether. Can I have my deposit back?

Deposits are non-refundable. We will not refund any deposit under any circumstances. As such, the decision to get a tattoo is a serious one and should not be taken lightly. However, if we are given a minimum 48 hours cancellation notice before your tattoo appointment, we can certainly use your deposit as a credit towards another tattoo or tattoo appointment.

CHOOSING AN ARTIST

Can I preview work that the artists at PHAT BUDDHA have done?

We encourage it, actually. It’s a good idea to be acquainted with your chosen artist’s style. And even if you haven't chosen an artist yet, checking out all of the portfolios will give you a better idea of which artist is most suitable for the tattoo you have in mind. You can view galleries of each of our artists’ work on the TATTOOS page of our website.

What's the best way to choose the right artist for me?

When you preview our artists' work, look for tattoos they have done that are similar to the tattoo you are looking for. For example, if you want a cover up, pick an artist that has done a few. If you are looking for a realistic tattoo, we have artists that can handle that....just make sure you look at their work to see if they have done enough realistic work that would satisfy your standards.

Does PHAT BUDDHA specialize in certain tattoos?

The great thing about our artists is that as a team, we are able to handle tattoos of all styles and sizes. But, if we are to be known for certain things, here's the list:

Black and Grey realism

Cover ups

Asian -style

Polynesian Tribal

Trash Polka

Freehand large scale tattoos

Custom tattoos

My friend who has an artistic background just designed a tattoo for me and I'd like it done. Can you do it?

Most likely we will alter the design in such a way to make it more appropriate to becoming a tattoo. If anything, we may use it as a starting point of what you are looking for. Under very rare circumstances will we do the exact same design, only upon the insistence of the client (you).

I'm not looking for any particular style of tattoo. I just want my tattoo to be done well. Any tips on how to choose an artist for this?

Our artists may have different styles, but there are certain things to look for when choosing the right artist for your particular tattoo:

are their lines clean?

is their shading smooth?

is the color work nice and saturated?

are there any tattoos in their portfolio that jump out at you and have that "WOW FACTOR"?

Taking a few minutes looking over the artists' work can ensure that you will be happy with your new tattoo.

health and safety

Are you a safe shop?

Yes we are. We are rigorously inspected yearly by the YORK REGION BOARD OF HEALTH, personal services division, and we have passed with flying colors every year. Not once did we have to close down due to unsatisfactory health and safety practices.

Once our inspections are passed, we are given updated Board of Health 'PASS' certificates which are prominently displayed at BOTH our shops.

Do you use new needles for every client?

Absolutely. Every client is shown the needles and other relevant tattoo supplies before the tattoo or piercing procedure. All of our disposable supplies are 100% sterile and blister packaged. They are disposed of after use and never used again on other clients. All of this is not only common practice, but also confirmed by the YORK REGION BOARD OF HEALTH.

What other safety procedures does PHAT BUDDHA TATTOOS practice?

In full compliance with the YORK REGION BOARD OF HEALTH, we adhere the strictest standards of health and safety procedures, which include but are not limited to the following:

washing our hands and applying anti-bacterial solution before and after each tattoo procedure

wearing nitrile disposable gloves during the procedures

proper disposal of contaminated materials

proper coverage of workspace for cross-contamination prevention

cleaning of workspace with the appropriate board of health-approved cleaning solutions after tattoo procedures

cancellation policy

What is your CANCELLATION POLICY?

We require a minimum of 48 hours notice when cancelling a booking. Cancellations made with less than 48 hours notice will result in a loss of deposit.

To be clear, here's an example. If your appointment is Saturday morning, we would require you to cancel Thursday morning (as in before 12pm)....not Thursday at 8pm. And, to be fair, please use means of communication that are reliable. Message your artist on instagram, or send an email on our contact form....this way, there will always be a trackable timeline. What we don't want to hear is a customer say "I tried to call so many times....etc" but we have no way of tracking the phone call among the hundreds of phone calls we get everyday, especially when the client doesn't leave a voicemail.

I Need To Re-schedule, What Do I Do?

To re-schedule your appointment, please notify us a minimum of 48 hours before the appointment. Appointments attempted to be re-scheduled after the 48 hour notice period will result in a loss of deposit and a new one will be required to re-book.

We will move your deposit with your appointment up to two times before it is forfeited. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable.

I Want To Book a Consultation- Do I Need to Pay a Deposit?

Never! Our consultation service is always free of charge. Just fill out the BOOKING FORM and we'll do the rest.

CANCELLATIONS....IN A NUTSHELL

We get it. Emergencies happen....life happens. We can only do our best to work together to resolve this thorny issue. But it's only common sense that a client that keeps cancelling on us repeatedly, forcing us to constantly find another client to take their place, which is not an easy thing to do, will be looked upon unfavorably and will be dealt with accordingly.

If we feel that you don’t respect our time, or value our services, we will probably discontinue our work relationship. Please understand that these rules might seem harsh, but we are a very small business and your tattooer and you work one on one for hours at a time. Please consider that your cancellation may cause someone a day of work unpaid. We all understand that there are occasionally emergencies and legitimate reasons, but we will do our absolute best to be there and ready to work, and we ask that you will too.